Signal.



W. SPARKS.

SIGNAL.

APPLlC/TION FILED HAY il. SI54 1 ,240, 1 Emma Smm u, 191?.

y T212@ mtv;

W. SPARKS.

SIGN/l..

APPLICATION man mM' 11. i915.

1 ,240, 1 56., Mimi-@ Sp. l1, 19E?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

S, OF JACKSGN,

,Specification of Application filed May ll.

' llo Z5 @eli/)m t may concern.'

ie it known that l, iV-nimmt S' inns, a citizen ot the United States.and resident ot Jackson. in the county of Jackson. in the State ot'I\'iichijan,`have invented new and useful improvements .in Signals, ofwhich. the 'l" llo\\'ing`, taken in connection with the uccoi'npanving'.lrawings, is a full, clear7 and exact de: iption.

This invention relates to certain i1nprorements in signals and moreparticularly to electrically operated signals of the mechanicallyactuated diaph agni type susceptible et various uses. but particularlyapplicable to autoinobiles7 niotor boats and other moving Vehicles.

The primary object of the invention is to produce an Y electricallyoperatedv signal adapted to gire ce instai'itaneous alarm7 of vsimpleconstruction and which can he manuvgcetured at a considerably reducedcost oror electrically operated signals of the. inotor driven type.

A further object is to construct an electrically operated signal ot thistype which shall he capable ot producing avcoi'itinuous note or sound.

Other objects and advantages \\iil appear troni the followingdescription taken in con? nection Ywith the acconipanyingv drawings, inwhich-- Figure l .is a side elevation of a signal niade in accordance"with this invention Fig'. 2 is a vertical central section withtresonator 'partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3--3. i?

sl. and (i are perspective. vie, ys of the plunger parts.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig'. o' a modified and in many caseslneterred con struction.

Figi. S is a cross section on line 5M-S., i?

Fig: E) a sectional rien] similar to Fig. o'l' a inodilied orin ofsignal.

Fig. l() indicates a device in which the. rotary toothed member is`actua ed hy hand rather than lifv electric ineans.

'Fig'. l'l. is simil-ar to Fig. 10. using7 thfe. inolosing shell of Fig.9.

'i invention comprises. as shown. a suitable. diaphragm -1- having acent-ral ach justabie contact nieniher -2-. he man# ginal portion oitthe. diaphragm is Secured to 5f 1 Eli,

Letters atent.

im. sont im. 27,3%.

l3et\een the hase ot a .resonator` the flanged end portion Aflol.E a.rear

m5- hy ineans of suitaliie screws i5-(M The rear case is. preferably proridad with a, suitable ol'l'setportion. or donne.

--T-- inchuline' in the constructiim shown a removable cap --Ykharing` athreaded re.- G0 Vlation with th Y adiacent portion o1 the dome the capMS-m is provided with a :suitable hearing ll- 'i'or a s mit w-llhavingits other end journaleil in a hearing' Jil ad- 65 justahie through asleeve 'mi2-f mounted in the opposite side ol' the case said hearingYprovided with a suitahle locking' nut-M13. y

The shi.'l --ltl is preferably :1 squar shaft` and for the `rreaierportion of' itsV length is twisted to torni spiral` pathiyzjs along;u'hicha suitable nut -l lf, having a substantially square opening`adapte/f' to lit the shatt. inoyahle.

This nut is inclosed `within and forms a portion of a plunger ---i5-coniprising a cylindrical ineinler J'il-w haring' seatilior the nut anda cap adapted to he s cured to the member -ll5- and provided withprojections N adapted to co-aet with ratchet teeth --19- upon one taceot the nut- --li to prevent rotation o the nut under the conditionshereinafter speer lied, I

'The ineinoer i6-4 is provided with suitable. grof. xs 7420#- and -l*-torn'ied in opposite sides hermit' and adapted to rec-eye and morelongitui'linaily with respect to snitahle. liber ways or guides and Q3--i'orrned upon the interior of the substantially cylindrical core --25 oia soleni'iid 2o- The lower cnd --25 of the. core is oli'set andpositioned within the di hed portion w25-H of a rotary actuator --QQMrigidly mounted upon the shalt. `0-- and the 'plunger -l5 is adapted tohe, rated troni the portion ----2T- hy a cushion -QWM ot suitablenmteriai. as ruhlfier.

The otisetting' ot the part -A'- of core and the dishinfi' ot theactuator Q2 permits ot a more i nden inoyemcnt the plunger --l-f along;the shaft -'i0-. The

i supportcd from donie the easing 1"" suitable iueirs ina) iv m1 72k L`.b w." A .inc ends ot ine soleiaud tous ltr@ be connected to suitablebinding posts having portions lying outside the casing` as the bindingpost 31 shown.

It will be apparent that when the solenoid 5 is energized Atrom anysuitable source ol electric power, the plunger -l- .vill be drawnupwardly along the shaft -l0--. The seat 'formed in the inexnber -16-and closed by the cover 174- is sulticieiitly 1g deep to allow the nut-llto lie in a position at which the teeth will not engage theprojections -lS-- upon the cover. l

ln other words,` the seat within the plunger is of sutlicient depth orsize to allow the 1 5 nut nith the ratchet 'teeth thereon to move out ofengagement with the projections upon the plunger so that the nut may'freely rotate with respect to the plungerv TWhen the plunger is movedupwardly by the energized solenoid, the inertia of the shaft iandgravityT cause the nut Mldto lie in Contact with the cover *17- and theteeth -tltherefore engage the projections #-lSM upon the cover, therebypreventing rotatioi'i ofthe nut with v(respect to the portions 16- and-liof the plunger while the plunger is beingr moved in an upwarddirection.

When the electric current isbrolren, the 3g plunger tends to tall bygravity into the portion 27 and the inertia of the shaft Ml O holds thenut -lel in Contact with 'the member -1G-, thereby withdrawing the teeth-19- ;trom engagement with the projections 1S-, whereby the nut -lllisallowed to 'freely rotate within the member -ltand the plunger isreturned to starting position after each operation without rotation ot'the shaft -10-- or the actuator 0 --29-.

In Figs. 7 and 8, is shown a slightly varied and for many purposespreferred form of' the' invention by means of which a vcontinuousrotation of the actuating member -29- may be produced As shown, theshaft v-1O-- is provided with two oppo sitely inclined spiral grooves-3;- and 1 --33-.

The plunger comprises an upper and a 5o lower case member -3eand *4555-7respectively, secured together by screws -36-- @ne of these portions, asthe portion --355 is' provided with suitable ratchet teeth 7 upon itsinternal circumference and the inclosed actuating member 3S- is providedwith a pair of dogs 39- sprinon pressed into engagement with the teeth37- to prevent rotation of the member -38-- in one direction within theplunger -3-1l-.

The member 38 'tongue --l0-- operat 62 and --33-7 sively The actuating:mecha-mein for the vrotary actuator mienne in this .comprises a doublesolenoid, such solenoids adapted to he alterrections for alternatelybringing the contact points --l-alwand m15*- into circuit closin"relation with suitable terminals Alland -l7-, respectively, foralternately closing the circuit leading to the respective solenoids soarranged that when the plunger is at the limit of its movement in adownward direction, the circuit leading to the solenoid will beenergized to return the plunger upwardly and when the plunger reachesits limit of movement in an upward direction7 it will contact with theflange -43-, raise the Contact point 45- into circuitclosiug relationwith the terminal -47 and break the circuit through the contact #illandthe terminal H46, whereby the solenoid llwill be energized to ret-urnthe plunger downwardly.

The operation or' the actuator 3S- Within the plunger will be readilyapparent. The plunger starting from the limit of its movement in adoivmvard direction moves upwardly through the spiral groove 32- and asthe actuator -wl$- is held against rotation in a direction from lett toright, the

shaft is thereby rotated in a direction from right to left.

Then the plunger reaches the limit of its upward movement traveling inthe spiral groove -l2-, the shaft m10- continues to rotate in thedirection from right to left, whereby the spiral groove 33m is carriedtoward the tongue -40- upon the actuator n38- and if the reversemovement is not applied imn'iediately bythe energizing of the solenoid-4l9, the shaft carries the actuator -38- in its rotation from right toleft, the projection --el0 being positioned at all times in the reversegroove -33 and when the plunger is drawn downwardly by the solenoid-Jl8--, the tongue --40- necessarily moves in the groove --33-, wherebya continuous rotation in the same direction of the shaft lO-- isproduced, resultingr in a continuous movement of the 29- in the samedirection so long as electrical current supplied to the coils'.

This Same action takes place when the plunger starts in its upwardmovement the t' 'ne e., rotation ol the shait --l 0- to cause thetongi'le W40- to move into engagement xwith the proper groove forausinga continuous rotation of 'aid shat't in the same direction.

The electrical connections necessary to a source ot' electrical powerfor energizing the solenoids may be ot any well known and usual form notnecessary to herein illustrate and desc'ibe, land suitable insulation inthe forming of the solenoids and in the sepa ation of the parts areherein shown, and further description is unnecessary.

.ln Fig. 9, I have shown a modified iorm ot a one-way actuated signal inwhich `the spiral shaft is the movable meinber and the toothed wheel isrotated by the clutch mech* anism which is stati nary therewith when theshaft is moved in one direction. In this structure the plunger 50- isrigidly mounted upon the end oi' the spiral shaft *M and is movable inthe core --QQM- along guideways --:2 and H23- in the. same manner 1s theplunger -l5- shown in Fig. 2. The nut lt the cylindrical member -16 andthe cap lf are liliewise the same as those shown in the -structure'ofFig. 2, except that the member lG- is rigidly connected to the toothedwheel -52 hy any suitable means, as a set screw 53.

The wheelf 52- has a depressed or cutai'ay portion 5%- in which theclutch mechanism is prete 'ably mounted. it likewise has acircumferential depending flange -55vmounted upon a cyliiulrieal steppedbearing' -56- supported from tne wall of the case 5h and a suitable.thrust bearing; 57-, including rotary balls. is interposed between thewheel and the bear-img *5G- The Iase is provided with an offset tubularportion 58h closed at its outer end and registering` with a conduit 55)-through the bearing 56m which conduit in turn registers with the openingthrough the clutch member comprising; the parte -14 16- and in whichconduit and offset portion the spiril shaft `-5- is movable. and asuitable spring *(30 is interposed between a plate Gl upon the end ofthe spiral sha'it and the closed end of the tubular boss -58-- Theoperatii'igr mechanism is the same as shown in the structure ot' Fig. 2.comprisingal suitable solenoid coil Jilladapted to draw the plunger 50downwardly and thereby move=tl e spiral sha'lt through the clutchmechanism, the nut *la* being locked against rotation with respect tothe parts *1(3, -17- and during` its downward movement in exactly themanner heretofore described. and free to be returned upwardly by thespring G0- with outA rotation of the toothed wheel In Figs. l() and 1i,l have illustrated theprojectirre` from .the ase -5 and pro vided with aknob -ll--- torn'nup; a handle tor pushing' the shaft #-51 downwardly torotate the toothed wheel --rn amil omit.- ting the solenoid anilitsconnections` in Figlltl. a suitable sleeve "tl-l is provided surroundnmthe shatt Vil and havingY a daring lower end. said sleeve beingsupported from the case 5H and liavincg` its liaring' portion lying inclose proximity o the upper surface ot' the wheel 52h to prevent thesame from being;` lifted from its be: "infst in the same manner as thecoro 25;: performs said function in the struc ture (if lthouoh l haveshown and described one particularmethod of operation and sequence ot'steps and mechanical and electrical arrangement oli parte.; i do notdesire to limit myselil to any speeitie form, construction orarrangement or any particular sequence ot steps. as many changn may bemade in the various details ot operation,

construction and arrangement without departingfrom the spirit oi thisinvention as set forth in the appended claims. and l. coutemplate themovement as herein described and tne method oi operation and construe`-tion for variousl uses. such as stili-starters 'tor internal combustionengines, adapted to initiate the rotary movement oi the cranlc sha't'tdirectly. in lile nranner as the sha'it 1()a is operated. or indirectly-lhrouegh suitable gear or 'friction connections.

lhat l claim is:

1. in a signal. a vibratonv member. an actuator tor vibrating the same,a shaft. a clutch mechanism` a spool surrounding theI shalt. the shaft.and the clutch inechanisn capable oi" relative movement. means 'tortanstierrinley axial movement ot' one oiI said members into rotarymovement o"I the othcr,'

one of said relatively movable members beine' secured to the actuator,means for preventing' .rotary movement oi the other ot' said members.and a solenoid in connection with the spool for movingone or". saidmemhers axially to rotate the other and thereby the actuator.

.l signal comprising a diaiihragm. a rotary shall, a diaphragm actuatormounted upon thel sha'll and rolxiting` therewith and adapted to coactwith the diaphragm to iiorce viol-ation of the -atler as the formerrotated, a plunger mov: ble longitudinally ot the shaft. said plungerand an inclosingr case, said nut and shaft having,` cooperating parts soformed and arranged that movennait of the nut longitudinally ot' theshaft forces relative rotation ot the shaft and nut. coiierating partsupon said case and nut ttor hoidingf the nut :from rotation when movedin one direction whereby rotation of the shift is iiorced and allowMcomprising; a nut c lili ing rotation of Said nut When moved in areverse direction, and electrical means for moving said plunger alongthe shaft.

In a signal, a diaphragm, diaphragm vibrating means, a shaft upon whichsaid means is mounted, a plunger movable longitudinally of the shaft, alsolenoid including a eore,`eoperating parts on tle plunger and Core forpreventing rotat'ilm of the plunger` said plunger comprising a oase andan inelosed shaft actuating member and means for preventing rotation ofsaid Shaft actuating member with respect to said ease when the plungeris moved in one direction along the shaft.

4. ln a signal, a diaphragm, a diaphragm actuator, a shaft upon whichSaid actuator lis; mounted, a plunger movable longitudinally of theshaft, a Spool substantially concentric with the shaft and cooperatingparte upon the spool and plunger for preventing rotation of the plungeras it moves longitw dinalljv of the shaft, and meanslor moving theplunger along the shaft to rotate the shaft.

5. ln a Signal, a diaphragm, a diaphragm actuator, a shaft upon whichsaid actuator is mounted, a plunger movable longitudinally oit' theshaft`r n spool substantially eon- Centric. with the Shaft andCooperating parts upon the spool and plunger for preventing rotation ofthe plunger as it moves rougi-- tudinallj7 of the shaftaid shaft andplunger so formed that longitudinal 'movement ofA the plunger causesrotation of the shaft, and magnetizable means carried hy the spool formoring the plunger along the shaft.

(S. A. signal Comprising a diaphragm, a easing, a shaft rotatablymounted within the easing', a diaphragm actuator mounted lupon the shaftand rotating therewith and adapted to coaet with the diaphragm to forcethe mediate vibration oit' the latter the iornior is rotated, anoperating member movable longitudinally ofeaid Shar Said( A inf; memherand said shaft havi 1 so formed and arrar g that longitudinal movementof said n iher l( t relative, rotation of Said Shaft and numoer, moansfor holding Said member *from rotation when moved in one direction,whereby rotation of er id shaft is forced, and allowing rotatiim ol saidmember when mo. l in a reverse direction, whereby the rotation of id.shaft may continue in the same direction, and eleetrieal means formoving Said member along the shaft.

T. A signal ee iprieing a diaphragm, a roy 'tary shaft, a diapl'iragmactuator incontrai upon the shaft and rotating tl'ierewitii and l thediaphragm to adapted to ooaet with ding parte' force vibration of thelatter as the 4former is; rotated.r a plunger movable longitudinally ofthe shaft, said plunger eompriei g; a nut and an 'ineloeing ease, Saalout and shalt having cooperating p: so formed and arranged that movementof the nut longitudinally of the shaft forces relative rotation ot theshaft and nut, cooperating partel upon said :ase and nut for holding thenut from rotation when moved in one direction,

whereby rotation of the shaft ioreed and allowing rotation of saii'l nut".'Jnen moved in atreverse direction, a sprxil su rounding the shaft,cooperating parte upon the Spool and oase for preventin "otz'xtion theease, and a solenoid in connection wit iid spool lier moving the plu 'Kr along the shaft l hereunto my handthis 29th daf; oi" April, lll,

iVflfLLli-XM SPXRKS lllitnesses:

Limpia u W umnumniii, W. J, Conn'n'rr.

